Logo of the North Carolina Department of Commerce
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1971 |
| Headquarters | 301 North Wilmington Street, Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | nccommerce.com |
The North Carolina Department of Commerce was formed in 1971 by the North Carolina State Government Reorganization Act. The department is headed by the Secretary of Commerce, who is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina. The Secretary is part of the Governor's Cabinet. The chief function of the department is to connect businesses with locations, workforce and infrastructure in North Carolina that businesses need to succeed. The department also connects local communities with grants and funding sources to attract new business to North Carolina. The department also staffs and receives policy guidance from: the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation; the NCWorks Commission; and the Rural Infrastructure Authority.[1][2]
The North Carolina Department of Commerce was created in 1971 by the North Carolina State Government Reorganization Act, specifically General Statute 143B, Article 10, Paragraph 143B-427:[1][2][3][4]
The Reorganization Act was part of an effort to reduce the number of state organizations and improve efficiency in government. The Department of Commerce is headed by the Secretary, who is selected by the Governor, and serves during the governor's tenure. The Secretary is one of the members of the Governor's Cabinet.
In its early history, the Department was simply an administrative umbrella providing support for a number of different regulatory agencies, each of which exercised its authority independently.[6] In 1977, the North Carolina General Assembly transferred the state Division of Economic Development from the Natural/Economic Resources department into the Commerce department, among other changes.[7]
The Secretaries of the Department of Commerce have included:[1]
| Secretary | Term | Governor |
|---|---|---|
| George Irving Aldridge | 1972–1973 | Robert W. Scott |
| Tenney I. Deane, Jr. | 1973–1974 | James Holshouser |
| Winfield S. Harvey | 1973–1976 | James Holshouser |
| Donald R. Beason | 1976–1977 | James Holshouser |
| Lauch Faircloth | 1977–1985 | Jim Hunt |
| Howard Haworth | 1985–1987 | James G. Martin |
| Claude E. Pope | 1987–1989 | James G. Martin |
| Jim Broyhill | 1989–1990 | James G. Martin |
| Estell C. Lee | 1990–1993 | James G. Martin |
| S. Davis Phillips | 1993–1997 | Jim Hunt |
| E. Norris Tolson | 1997–1998 | Jim Hunt |
| Rick Carlisle | 1998–2001 | Jim Hunt |
| James T. Fain, III | 2001–2009 | Mike Easley |
| John Keith Crisco | 2009–2013 | Bev Perdue |
| Sharon Decker | 2013–2015 | Pat McCrory[8] |
| John E. Skvarla, III | 2015–2017 | Pat McCory |
| Anthony M. "Tony" Copeland | 2017–2021 | Roy Cooper |
| Machelle Baker Sanders | 2021-Present | Roy Cooper |
The following state organizations are included in the Department of Commerce:[1]
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